


Shut Up and Dance With Me

by 42hrb



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: After Hogwarts, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-01
Updated: 2015-03-05
Packaged: 2018-03-15 20:47:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3461483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/42hrb/pseuds/42hrb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Six months after the Battle of Hogwarts everyone is still dealing with the effects of the war, but they're still living their lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Christmas Wedding

It all seemed a bit strange to Harry, a wedding so soon after everything had happened, but Hermione said that it was good, it meant that things were moving forward. As much as he thought this was true it still felt too soon to him, especially because it was Percy Weasley and he was hardly the type of person to rush into things. 

Ron came into the room in a huff, his hair had been combed with what appeared to be a wet comb and it was nearly parted to the side. “I swear if my hair doesn’t go back to normal after this wedding I’m going to hex Percy for doing it.” He pulled on his dress robes and looked in the mirror with a scowl. 

Harry laughed as he subconsciously tried to flatten his messy black hair. He was already wearing his dress robes, his wand stashed in his pocket. “It looks,” He paused, not wanting to sound like he was lying, “Nice.” Ron threw a pillow at him from across the room. 

There was a knock on the door and without waiting for a response Ginny and George walked into the room. Harry’s eyes were on Ginny, her dress was a navy blue and seemed to sparkle like the night sky. It wasn’t too low cut but when she walked passed him to sit down on the bed he saw that it was completely backless. Her back was pale and spattered with freckles. He stopped looking only when Ron hit his arm. 

He looked away quickly and coughed, “Uh, shall we head down?” He was doing his best to avoid looking at Ginny. They still hadn’t really talked about what was going on between them and he didn’t think today was the right time, but seeing her in that dress had made his mind wander to time spent alone following the slew of funerals they had attended just over 6 months ago.

Both George and Ginny looked at him like he was insane, “Oh Harry my boy,” George said throwing his arm around Harry’s shoulder, “we simply cannot stomach our dear brother Percy’s wedding without a little Fire Whiskey.” He pulled a bottle out of his pocket, took a huge swig and handed the bottle to Ginny who did the same. 

About twenty minutes later they were all walking down to the apple orchard. It was snowing but once they were into the enclosure it was warm from fire torches around the edges and someone had cast a shield charm so the snow wasn’t landing. It really did look beautiful. Ginny leaned over toward Harry and whispered into his ear, “Hermione’s dress is awful, she looked right miserable when I left her with Audrey, but when you see her tell her she looks nice.” She smelled like whiskey and flowers. 

Ginny had been right, the dress was awful. It had puffy sleeves and was bright christmas red, it clashed with all the Weasley’s hair as she walked down the aisle. Around the middle there was a Christmas green ribbon. She had her hair pulled back like she had at the Yule Ball four years ago. 

The wedding itself was short but nice, Harry was feeling the fire whiskey. He was tempted to reach over and take Ginny’s hand in his but he knew Ron was looking so he didn’t. When the small, tufty haired wizard said, “You are now bonded for life.” everyone cheered and as everyone stood up the chairs moved and the golden dance floor appeared. 

***

Hermione walked over to the group of them and Ron threw his arm around her shoulder. “You look wonderful Hermione,” He said smiling at her. She rolled her eyes and said, “This dress looks like Christmas threw up on me, honestly.”

Harry tried to stifle a laugh but it was too late. Hermione gave him a look and then took a swig of the fire whiskey George was holding out. “Where’s Angelina?” Hermione asked him after she took another sip. 

“Why would I know?” George said with a smirk. He and Angelina had been spending almost all of their free time together. The first time George laughed was after Fred’s funeral because of something Angelina had said. She was helping him out of the darkness the war had left him in. It was clear to everyone but George and Angelina that they were falling for each other.

Just then Percy and Audrey came over holding hands and smiling broadly. “Congratulations you two!” Ginny said hugging both of them. The rest of the group echoed her sentiment before Percy and Audrey were joined by Audrey’s parents and they managed to escape the enthralling conversation about cauldron thickness. They would have to spend the rest of the reception avoiding the happy couple.


	2. Lost and Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding reception, where some people dance and some people mope.

Harry was standing alone near the punch bowl when he spotted a familiar pair of slightly hunched shoulders. “Neville!” He called and Neville Longbottom turned toward the voice, spotted Harry and smiled. He walked over to where Harry was standing and they hugged. He hadn’t seen Neville since September 1st when he and Ron had gone to see off all of their friends who were returning to Hogwarts, Neville had been there to do the same.

“Harry it’s brilliant to see you.” Neville said in a way that only Neville could. Harry knew he meant it. “It’s been too long, how have you been getting on?”

“I’ve been keeping busy. There are still a lot of former Death Eaters that we’ve been tracking down, but I really like working in the auror office.” Harry said quickly, hoping to avoid having to talk about anything but work. “What have you been up to?”

“I’m actually working at Hogwarts.” Neville said smiling, “Helping Professor Sprout put the greenhouses back together. They were basically destroyed during the battle.” They were both quiet. Most people who had been at the Battle of Hogwarts weren’t ready to talk about it, and if they were ready to they didn’t like to talk about it at a celebration like a wedding. 

Luckily at the moment Hermione and Ron spotted them and walked over. The four of them started talking about how Hogwarts was, Hermione was back at school to finish her 7th year so she and Neville had seen quite a bit of each other. They hung out with Dean Thomas a lot and Hannah Abbott. Both of them had missed 7th year to go into hiding, Hannah with her family because they were being threatened by Death Eaters. 

Harry’s mind started to wander, as it often did, when he through about Hogwarts. He missed the castle and it’s sprawling grounds. He missed his walks to Hagrid’s hut and to the quidditch pitch, the cozy common room after a day in Hogsmeade, holding hands with Ginny as they walked around the lake. It was the thought of Ginny that brought him back into reality. He looked around the tent and spotted her in seconds, she was dancing with Luna, her long red hair dancing behind her. He was reminded suddenly of Bill and Fleur’s wedding where Ginny and Luna had danced the same way. 

Ginny spotted him looking at her and winked, she then said something to Luna and the two of them talked over to the foursome standing by the punch. Without a word she grabbed Harry’s hand and pulled him onto the dance floor. “You can’t stand around moping at a wedding Harry. It’s a celebration damn it.”

Harry smiled at her, “Is this the best idea? We don’t want to give anyone the wrong idea about what’s going on between us.” He looked pointedly at Ron who was openly staring at the couple. Hermione was beaming at them, she smacked Ron’s arm and Ron stopped looking.

“Oh just shut up and dance with me.” Ginny said in a half exasperated, half entertained voice. She put one hand on Harry’s shoulder and grabbed his hand in her open one. He hesitated and then put his hand on her lower back. He felt a little jolt in his stomach when his hand met her bare skin. He had forgotten that her dress was backless, how had he forgotten that?

They danced around the floor and Ginny said to him, “You need to stop looking back Harry, we’re all hurting still but we can’t live in the past.” He looked away from her. He didn’t want to have this conversation here. Ginny must have sensed that because the next thing she said was, “We don’t have to talk about it here or now, I just wanted to throw that out there. I miss joking, sassy Harry. This wallowing Harry is getting a little old.”

That stung, but Harry knew it was true. He hadn’t been himself since May. He felt like he had lost a part of himself during the Battle. Since he was 11 years old his life had basically been decided for him, well since he was born, so now that that part of his life was over he didn’t know where to go from here. He knew he should tell Ginny all of that, but he didn’t know how and he didn’t know what she would say. 

He spun her around as they danced, her hair flying out behind her. He wished this could be it, just Ginny and dancing and nothing to worry about. The song ended and everyone clapped. “Come on,” Ginny said leading him off the floor, “You clearly need a drink.” They didn’t walk to the punch bowl though, they walked outside of the enclosed area into the snowy, starlit yard. 

“George” Ginny called quietly. There was a thump as someone fell out of a low branch of one of the apple trees. “Merlin George, how drunk are you?”

“I am not as think as you drunk I am.” George said smiling. “Just kidding, I’m not as drunk as you think I am.” Above George there was a giggle and Angelina Johnson jumped out of the tree. Her long dark hair was pulled into a knot at the top of her head and she was wearing a pair of red dress robes, but not a bright red like Hermione’s dress, a pretty rose red. “You two look like you need a drink.” George said.

Ginny nodded as George handed her the nearly empty bottle. The four of them sat there drinking the rest of the whiskey and chatting. Harry hadn’t seen Angelina for a few months because he had been busy with work and because he had been avoiding coming by the Burrow. He felt a crippling since of guilt being there. He knew he shouldn’t but he couldn’t help it sometimes. He took the final swig of the bottle and set it down in the snow. “I think I’ll head back to the party then.”

He stood up and waved to George and Angelina. Ginny followed him. “Wait up Potter.” He stopped in his tracks. “Got your attention finally.” She grabbed his hand and guided him toward the Burrow. She ended up pulling him into the shed, the same shed Harry had talked to Dumbledore. It felt like a lifetime ago.

“Ginny is this really the time?” Harry asked, he was feeling light headed from the booze and from the smell of her hair. He was tempted to lean forward and kiss her but he was sober enough to know that was a bad idea. “We’re missing the party.”

“Trust me everyone is having more fun without your mopey ass out there.” Ginny said looking at him with that blazing look she had. “I know I can’t make everything better and that you’re still hurting but so is everyone else. You keep shutting yourself off from everyone when you start feeling but that won’t help you get better.” He didn’t say anything, “You know why Hermione and I seem so much less sad than you? Because when we get sad we talk about it. The first two weeks of school she slept in my bed with me because I was having nightmares and so was she.”

Harry didn't know that. “I... I didn’t realize.” He sounded a little ashamed.

“Of course you didn’t, you’ve been wallowing all by yourself.” Ginny chastised him, “You’re letters are so impersonal, you didn’t come with Ron to visit during our Hogsmeade weekend, it’s like you’re not here even when you’re standing right in front of me.” She was looking at him so hard that Harry had to look away.

“I’m sorry.” He said, and he meant it. “I just feel like I’m lost. I feel like I lost a part of myself when I died in that forest.” He wish he could take back the words. He had only ever told Ron and Hermione what had happened in the forest. Ginny’s look of shock was almost too much for him to handle.

“You didn’t die, you’re right here. I can touch you.” She reached out her hand and touched his cheek. “You’re alive.”

Harry shook he head, “I’m alive but I died. It’s all confusing and it’ll take more than a couple minutes to explain so can we go back to the party? I promise I’ll tell you everything tomorrow.” He felt as if a small weight had been lifted off his chest. Ginny knew a little bit more now. He would tell her everything tomorrow, but for tonight that little bit was enough. He felt a little bit more like himself than he had in months and months. It was a strange feeling but it was good and he realized that maybe if he talked about what he was feeling it would get better. He had felt lost but now he knew that he wasn't lost anymore.

She nodded and turned to walk out of the shed, but then she turned. She leaned forward and kissed him. It felt like the kiss she had given him on his 17th birthday. When she pulled away he felt even more light headed. “You’ve gotta talk to me Potter. If you don’t how am I supposed to know what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours.” She opened the door and walked back to the party leaving Harry standing in the shed half smiling.


	3. A Different Kind of Christmas

The morning after the wedding Harry and Ron woke to Hermione barging into Ron’s room. “Happy Christmas!” She said cheerfully. Harry groaned and rolled over, Ron pulled the blanket over his face. “Too much fire whiskey last night boys?” She said with a laugh. The reception had ended around midnight but that didn’t stop Harry, Ron and George from staying up until 3 drinking another bottle of fire whiskey. Neville had left around 1:45, stumbling into the garden before he managed to make it home. 

She handed each of them a mug with a smoking liquid, “What’s this?” Ron asked looking into the mug with a look of disgust on his face. He sniffed it gingerly before he set it down on his bedside table. 

“It’ll fix that hangover for you, which you’ll want gone by the time you go downstairs.” Hermione said as she smirked at her two best friends. She leaned down and kissed Ron before leaving the room. Both Harry and Ron took giant gulps of their potions and the effect was nearly instantaneous. 

Both boys rolled out of bed and pulled on their newly opened Weasley sweaters before heading downstairs. The sweaters were the only gifts in the room, so they assumed the rest would be down under the tree. The kitchen was packed nearly to the breaking point with the Weasley family, George sitting in the corner looking exhausted. Harry and Ron wandered over to him and Ron said, “Did you not get any of the potion Hermione made?”

George looked up at his brother and Harry, “I got some.” Harry suddenly know that what was wrong with George had nothing to do with the alcohol and everything to do with the the fact that this was his first Christmas without his twin brother. Everyone in the room was feeling the weight of Fred not being there, but no one more than George. It was going to be a different Christmas than any of them were used to.

The morning past in a flurry of gift exchanging and chatter. For the first time in a long time Harry felt like himself, he was sitting by the fire with Charlie chatting. He kept meeting Ginny’s gaze and then looking away with a small smile. “Don’t tell mum,” Charlie said to Harry quietly, “But I may be moving back into the area, there’s an opening in the Department of the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and after everything that’s happened over the last few years I could use my family.”

“That would be brilliant,” Harry said sincerely, “And I know everyone would be excited to have you back around.” He knew that he would like Charlie around more. They had become rather close over the past 6 months because Charlie had stayed at Grimmauld Place with Harry during the three weeks of funerals after the war had ended. 

“I wouldn’t be coming along though,” Charlie said looking at Harry, “Again don’t tell mum, or anyone, but I’ve met the most wonderful woman, her name is Valerica.” Charlie was smiling wider than Harry had ever seen him before. This girl must be special to tie down Charlie Weasley. Harry had heard many a story about Charlie’s life in Romania, and dragons weren’t the only thing that Charlie was known for over there. 

“That’s great Charlie, hopefully the job pans out.” Harry said smiling at him. He caught Ginny’s eye again and she nodded her head slightly toward the door. “I’m going to get some air.” He said as he stood up and walked towards the door. Ginny followed behind him.

“So can we talk now?” Ginny asked him once the door had closed behind them. She was wearing a navy blue Weasley sweater, her long red hair braided down her back and her brown eyes bright. 

“Do you want to go visit Teddy with me?” Harry asked her. He had been planning on visiting his godson that afternoon before Christmas dinner and Teddy really liked Ginny. He wanted to make sure that before he and Ginny talked he had seen his godson, he didn’t want to go over there and be upset at all.

Ginny looked a little taken aback but nodded and said, “Yeah sure, right now?” Harry nodded and they walked back into the house. No one had noticed their short absence. “We’re going to pop over to see Teddy and Andromeda,” Harry announced to the room at large, “What time should we be back for dinner Mrs. Weasley?” 

About ten minutes later they were out the door laden down with food and presents for the two they were going to visit. Mrs. Weasley insisted that they invite Andromeda and Teddy to dinner even though Harry already had invited them twice. When they appeared outside the door moments later it was a relief to be in the quiet for a moment. 

Harry used his free hand to knock on the door and moments later Andromeda Tonks answered. She smiled at Harry and Ginny and ushered them inside. “Happy Christmas!” Harry said as he set down the gifts he was holding and hugged Andromeda. “Where’s the little rascal?” As he spoke he saw a bright blue haired baby in a rolling chair in the living room.

They had a nice visit, Teddy was delighted with his stuffed lion from Harry and Andromeda was grateful as ever for the company and for the bubble gum pink necklace Harry had gotten her. “It reminded me of Tonks - Dora and I thought you would like it.” Harry said modestly. She pulled him into a bone crushing hug.

Ginny and Teddy were playing on the floor while Harry and Andromeda sat chatting, “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if you ever want a night off let me know.” Harry told her as he looked at his godson. He knew that she wasn’t ready to part with Teddy for even a night just yet but he always let her know.

“I know, I just can’t stand the idea of him leaving and not coming back.” Her eyes were gleaming with tears now. They had talked about this before but every time it came up it was hard. Andromeda had lost her husband, daughter and son-in-law all in a few short months and even though she wasn’t on speaking terms with her sisters she had lost one of them as well. “Oh I forgot to mention, Narcissa and Draco stopped by earlier.”

Harry was a bit shocked. The last her had heard from Andromeda she still hadn’t been speaking to her younger sister or her family. “Was it a surprise?”

“Yes! They just stopped over for a bit, I think she’s trying to mend her past relationships.” Andromeda said, “And I’m inclined to try as well, she’s my family after all.”

“I think you should,” Harry said, remembering the fact that Narcissa had been the reason that he survived in the forest. She loved her son and family and Andromeda didn’t have anything left on that front. “We should get going though, are you sure you won’t come to dinner?”

“Oh no, but tell Molly and everyone I said thank you for the offer and for the presents.” Andromeda said smiling. She waved to them with Teddy on her hip, his hair now bright Weasley red. She stepped back inside and closed the door from the cold.

They walked down the front steps and Harry looked at Ginny, “We can talk now, if you’d like.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if you would call this a cliff hanger but I promise I'll have something up soon! I hope you like it so far. :)


	4. PTSD

Harry lead Ginny down the road a bit toward the muggle village that Andromeda lived on the outskirts of. He was hoping that the coffee shop that he frequented would be open today and luckily for him it was. He held the door open for her and the smell of cinnamon and coffee hit his nose. He took a deep breath and let the smell fill his nose. “Coffee?” He asked her and she nodded. 

He went to the counter where the usual girl was standing and ordered two coffees. “Making you work on Christmas?” He asked her kindly and she nodded, “Hopefully you’re not working too hard then.” 

When Harry sat down at the table Ginny looked intently at him, her brown eyes boring into his green. “I walked into the forest expecting to never come out.” Harry started, “I was never supposed to survive, but I think I need to go back further for you to understand.” He then told Ginny about his trip into the pensive, about Snape and his mother and about how Dumbledore had raised him as ‘a pig for slaughter’ in the words of Snape.

He finished telling her about the pensive and about seeing his parents and he looked at her, expecting her to say something but she merely nodded her head in encouragement. “So I went into the forest expecting to die, and I did, but then something extraordinary happened. When I was in between Dumbledore was there and he told me how I could choose to stay or come back because Voldemort had tethered me to life while he lived.”

“He couldn’t kill you because he was still alive?” Ginny said sounding confused. Harry had to admit it was all pretty confusing. 

“Because he took my blood when he came back to life, but he killed the part of his soul that lived inside of me.” Harry said, “So I came back and Narcissa Malfoy had to come see if I was really dead and she lied. She told them all that I was dead so that she could find Draco in the castle.” With every word he felt like a weight was lifting off of his chest, he hadn’t realized how badly he had wanted to tell Ginny all of this until it was pouring out of his mouth.

“So, you died.” Ginny said slowly, “But you came back, you chose to come back and keep fighting?” 

“Yes.” Harry said simply, “But sometimes I wish I didn’t come back, because I feel like I’m missing a huge part of myself. I’ve never known a life without Voldemort, without him looming on the horizon. I have no plan because I never thought I would need them. But here I am 7 months after the War ended and I’m alive.”  
Ginny was looking at him with concern written in every line of her face. “Harry you have to know how glad we are that you came back. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without you, you had to be the one to kill Voldemort in the end. And now you have a life that you can make plans in, you can do anything.”

Harry didn’t look convinced. This was the same thing that Hermione had told him when he told her he was feeling this way. He felt like he was living on stolen time, time that should have belonged to Fred, and Colin Creevy, and Tonks and Lupin. Ginny must have read his mind because she said, “And don’t you go feeling guilty about surviving when other people died, they’d still be dead if you died, but you’d be gone too, and how is that fair for anyone. You’re like living with a ghost, but we’re all so glad you survived.”

“And in my head I know that but I can’t seem to keep myself from thinking that it would be better if I hadn’t come back.” Harry said, “Hermione says I have post-traumatic stress disorder, it’s a muggle thing.”

“Just keep talking about it, hiding away clearly isn’t helping you at all.” Ginny said as she took a sip of her coffee, “This is awful, I’ll stick with tea.” She smiled at him and he returned the smile, “Now lets go home, mum will have a field day if we miss dinner.”

They left the shop and Harry called over his shoulder, “Happy Christmas!” He and Ginny apperated back to the Burrow and walked into the kitchen. The family was still chatting in the sitting room expect for Mrs. Weasley and Fleur who were finishing up Christmas dinner. They didn’t seem to notice Harry and Ginny’s return until Ginny tripped over a few of the unopened presents on the floor.

“Oh good you’re back!” Mrs. Weasley said, “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, do you mind setting the table?” 

It was like nothing had changed. Harry realized nothing had changed except him. He felt lighter, happier than he had in months. Maybe it was the fact that he had voiced pain he had been feeling since May, or maybe it was because before they had stepping to the house Ginny had placed a light kiss on his lips. Whatever it was, he knew that things were starting to look up.


End file.
